Many of these germs aren't harmful. In fact, most of them come
from your own body, and some can even
be beneficial.

But sometimes nasty pathogens can creep in from the outside and
make you very sick.

So what is the biggest source of harmful germs in your
home?

Your kitchen sponge, Philip Tierno, a microbiologist and
pathologist at the New York University School of Medicine, told
Tech Insider.

That's right. Not your toilet bowl. Not your trashcan. Rather,
the object many of us wash our dishes with every single day.

"That thing is very dirty," Tierno said. "Mainly because you're
cleaning up vegetables, carcasses of meat, and all sorts of food
stuff that can potentially contain pathogenic [disease-causing]
bacteria that will grow in numbers over time."

Sponges are ideal breeding grounds for microbes because
we supply them with a nourishing, warm, moist environment —
and tons of food.

"The moisture assures the good growth, but you also have the
nutritive material that you're taking in," Tierno said.

Sponges can carry all kinds of nasty
bacteria, including campylobacter, salmonella,
staphylococcus, E. coli, and listeria — all of which can
cause mild to severe gut and skin infections.

Campylobacter bacteria, which is commonly found in food such as
raw chicken, is by far the biggest contributor to foodborne
illness in the US. It affects
more than 1.3 million people here every year.

Within
two to five days after exposure, campylobacter can
ravage the digestive tract, causing diarrhea, cramping,
abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. It can even cause a
life-threatening blood infection in those with compromised immune
systems.

Vegetables may also transfer nasty bugs onto a sponge. This
includes E. coli, which can cause diarrhea, urinary
tract infections, pneumonia, and other illnesses.

"Even if you rinse it and use some soap, it's not sufficient to
eradicate the germs," Tierno said.

So how can you ensure that your sponge doesn't cause your next
big bout of food poisoning?

Forget the microwave. "The best way is
to put it in a little bleach solution," Tierno said.
Every time he preps food, he puts a jigger of bleach into a half
quart or quart of water, then rinses the sponge with it to
prevent cross contamination.

"It's very potent. It can kill anthrax spores," Tierno said.

About 56,000 people
are sickened by foodborne illness each year in the US. And
believe it or not, the primary source of this illness comes from
the home.

So next time you're cleaning up after your chicken dinner, throw
that sponge into a pool of bleach water. Your intestines will
thank you.